Kompany wants period of domestic rule for Manchester City

Fan favourite Vincent Kompany watched Manchester United collapse to West Bromwich Albion at his wife Carla’s grandmother’s house, but was soon meeting teammates and drinking beers with supporters down at a local pub.

While there is definitely a party mood among many of the players behind Manchester City's dominant displays en route to Premier League glory, Kompany voiced a word of caution: he is hungry for more at the Etihad Stadium.

“You can’t take it for granted. I’ve never been able to retain a title and I want to see if this team can be even more successful,” Kompany said after laying claim to a third Premier League winners medal, as reported by The Telegraph’s James Ducker.

“I have been lucky to win three but so many I have missed. I suppose my teammates will perhaps roll their eyes a little bit but I have never retained a title so I want to see how we react now next season.

“He (Guardiola) has been able to transfer to the team … that hunger and desire to never be satisfied. I’m probably the first one to think about next season, I would like to stay humble, this is not a dynasty. It is one title and we are all delighted but there is a lot more to do to ­unlock our full potential.”

Related: How Guardiola turned Manchester City into Premier League’s all-time best

Kompany could be forgiven if his season highlight was away from City’s league campaign. The past few years of the Belgian’s career have been ravaged by injury, and for some time it appeared Guardiola had run out of patience with his captain. However, the 32-year-old has completed 90 minutes on 10 occasions since the end of January, and was particularly ebullient when he scored the second in City’s 3-0 League Cup final defeat of Arsenal. All of those frustrating hours on the treatment table were released in a moment of unbridled joy.

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

Kompany, Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva, John Stones, and Fabian Delph were filmed later on Sunday evening by the Press Association’s Andy Hampson as the celebrations threatened to lurch into Monday morning. There is now little to play for in the final five matches of this season, but Guardiola will know he can count on an attentive squad when the heavy heads abate.

“We all believed in it,” he said of Guardiola’s approach. “There was a period of adaptation for him coming into the league and for us taking in his methods. They were the right ones and the ones we believed in. I’m sure there are differences to how we play today compared to his Bayern (Munich) and Barcelona teams. We survive and live by the strength of the team. One team was dominant in Germany and one had (Lionel) Messi, but we are nothing without the team.

“The first one (title) was special but this one is perhaps the one I’m most proud of. It’s a privilege to be a part of this team.”